Riverton
Taking the road that leads northwest from Harsonia, known as the Evening Way, and continuing past Arcomb for nearly another four days would bring one to the city of Riverton. The third largest of Harsonia’s three cities, Riverton sits on the eastern banks of the Northwash, the wide, rushing river that wanders through the northern plains until it meets up with the Stonybank in the Breakcliffs. The city was founded shortly after the Barbarian Wars ended, when most of the surviving members of House Naterius fled northwest to both escape the terms of the surrender, as well as to rid themselves of the harsh acts of the other Houses. While some member of Naterius remained in Harsonia to help found the Covenant, so many ranking nobles left that now Riverton is seen as the home of the sixth House. Riverton grew quickly as more and more members of House Naterius, as well as villagers of Arcomb who sought a life both outside of their village and away from the bureaucratic House of Merchants, flocked to the city. It became a city of lumber and hunting, and is considered by people of Harsonia and Canyon City to be a frontier town of sorts. The great mill of Riverton is the city’s landmark, where the wood cut from the pine forests to the north is brought and cut into pieces for trade. In an effort to maintain connections to the economic capital of Zimildran, Riverton begrudgingly follows Covenant law, and a portion of the city hall is devoted to Covenant visitors and meetings. Knight Commanders Arcturus and Bartholomew make their quarterly trips to Riverton, though they do not stay longer than is necessary, as the hospitality of Lord Desmond Naterius is always coupled with a sting of distrust. Lord Naterius opens his doors to the Knight Commanders with a smile and a thinly veiled insult, and the entire meeting generally follows a similar path. Many laws have been rewritten, or exceptions made, for Riverton simply because of its distance from the capital and because of the unpleasantness of Lord Naterius. Rumors do find their way through the Covenant concerning Lord Naterius and his ties to the Greycoal family, an organized crime syndicate that is often a thorn in the side of the House of Merchants, and by extension the Covenant. The Greycoals are an entrenched, wealthy family with estates in Riverton, as they were some of the first to settle in the city when it was just a fledgling village. While no factual evidence has ever been brought to light (often rumored because they have well-paid officers in Riverton Law), it is believed that the Greycoals govern almost all trade in Riverton, including the mill, the market, and the surrounding farmlands. If true, then their influence would be a strong opposition to the House of Merchants. Regardless, any Merchants’ House Official who visits Riverton on business never seems to make any progress in setting up office in the city. While both the Covenant and the House of Merchants have difficulties establishing or maintaining diplomatic ties to Riverton, the Academy of Engineers has had little trouble securing a place for their own means within the city. Thanks to the efforts of Headmaster Edwin Silvermaine, the Academy very nearly has its own district, as a series of workshops, warehouses and even a dormitory exist near the banks of the river for the use of academics. Engineers find great work through the Academy in Riverton, both from helping with the lumber harvest and by supplying gunsmiths to forge and repair broken firearms (which have a larger presence in Riverton than any other Harsonian city).